# I'm ready to try nicotine for my ADD: e-cigs or patch? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 16, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-ready-to-try-nicotine-for-my-add-e-cigs-or-patch/582142 "2011-05-16T21:31:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-ready-to-try-nicotine-for-my-add-e-cigs-or-patch/582142/41 "2011-05-18T04:57:06Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Well, you’ve been tested for ADD and you have it - OK. But I have to agree with your initial assessment that it’s pretty ridiculous to say that “losing my ability to focus on reading after stopping was pretty compelling evidence that I had been using nicotine to self-medicate”. People get screwed up when they are quitting, and losing the ability to concentrate is one of those side effects. I seem to remember you’ve had some wacky adventures in the past few years that could also distract you from frivolous reading. I mean, you were able to concentrate on those law texts, right? Well, my shrink disagrees with you, and my ability to read any book in a linear way from start to finish left the day I quit smoking and has never returned. And prior to quitting, being busy never stopped me from what you term “frivolous” reading. I can concentrate on short reading, which law reading absolutely is. I could sit for hours and hours in the library, but it was multiple books I was reading pieces of or cases, which don’t run to book length. There have been studies and research that reveals that my experience isn’t isolated. I haven’t heard about other people specifically losing the reading ability, but self-medication with nicotine has been identified in people with ADD. There’s nothing strange or unbelievable about it: ADD is most effectively treated with stimulants and drugs that affect dopamine levels in the brain, and nicotine does that. Today was interesting; I did notice a difference but I’m still not prepared to say it’s definitive. I did feel differently and so far no hint of any desire to smoke. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Cheech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Mister\_Cheech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Cheech)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-ready-to-try-nicotine-for-my-add-e-cigs-or-patch/582142/42 "2011-05-18T07:18:12Z")
The nicotine lozenges are very good. They taste delicious IMO. I would have dismissed your theory about the nicotine helping the ADD if you were able to read, say, a year after quitting smoking, but weren’t, so I think you’re right, and stimulants definitely are helpful with ADD and ADHD. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-ready-to-try-nicotine-for-my-add-e-cigs-or-patch/582142/43 "2011-05-18T13:34:23Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > Well, my shrink disagrees with you, and my ability to read any book in a linear way from start to finish left the day I quit smoking and has never returned. And prior to quitting, being busy never stopped me from what you term “frivolous” reading. > > I can concentrate on short reading, which law reading absolutely is. I could sit for hours and hours in the library, but it was multiple books I was reading pieces of or cases, which don’t run to book length. > > There have been studies and research that reveals that my experience isn’t isolated. I haven’t heard about other people specifically losing the reading ability, but self-medication with nicotine has been identified in people with ADD. There’s nothing strange or unbelievable about it: ADD is most effectively treated with stimulants and drugs that affect dopamine levels in the brain, and nicotine does that. > > Today was interesting; I did notice a difference but I’m still not prepared to say it’s definitive. I did feel differently and so far no hint of any desire to smoke. Yet again, why not talk to your doctor about different dosages/meds? ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-ready-to-try-nicotine-for-my-add-e-cigs-or-patch/582142/44 "2011-05-18T15:07:13Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > You’re kidding, right? Or vastly uneducated, one or the other. The liquid nicotine in e-cigs is not carcinogenic. No tar, no smoke. It’s fucking water vapor. Not to mention that nicotine, itself, is highly toxic and addictive. Although pharmaceutical stimulants tend to be addictive as well, I’ve never heard that they are anywhere near as acutely toxic as nicotine. That is to say, there’s no Adderall or Ritalin analogue to someone vomiting because he inadvertently swallowed a shred of tobacco from a cigar or an unfiltered Camel. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-ready-to-try-nicotine-for-my-add-e-cigs-or-patch/582142/45 "2011-05-18T15:23:50Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > You’re kidding, right? Or vastly uneducated, one or the other. The liquid nicotine in e-cigs is not carcinogenic. No tar, no smoke. It’s fucking water vapor. **rachellogram** , “vastly uneducated”? You should know better than to use these epithets on another poster in this forum. Don’t do it again. ETA: Removed “crazy and” from the mod note. My apologies for the error. ---
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-ready-to-try-nicotine-for-my-add-e-cigs-or-patch/582142/46 "2011-05-18T20:47:26Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > The liquid nicotine in e-cigs is not carcinogenic. No tar, no smoke. It’s fucking water vapor. This [study](http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0004849) finds possible link between nicotine and human squamous cell carcinoma. However, [this](http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2009/04/24/can-nicotine-gum-cause-mouth-cancer/) article does a nice job explaining the findings and why you probably don’t need to throw out your patches and e-cigs just yet. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-ready-to-try-nicotine-for-my-add-e-cigs-or-patch/582142/47 "2011-05-18T21:09:14Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Nicotine is bad for your lungs no matter how you inhale it. It destroys lung cells. I don’t know what is conclusively known about nicotine usage from the patch. Nicotine doesn’t destroy lung cells. People destroy lung cells. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-ready-to-try-nicotine-for-my-add-e-cigs-or-patch/582142.md?page=2)